Maoist carrying Rs 25 lakh bounty on head arrested in Jharkhand's Giridih

Ranchi, Jul 17 (PTI) A Maoist carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head has been arrested in Jharkhand's Giridih district, an official said on Friday. The red rebel has been identified as Ajay Mahto, alias Tiger, special area committee member of the banned CPI(Maoist) outfit. He is wanted in over 240 criminal cases in several districts. He was arrested on Thursday from a house under the jurisdiction of Harladih outpost during a joint search operation conducted by the CRPF and Jharkhand Police, the official said. "The Jharkhand government had announced a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head. Mahto was allegedly involved in incidents of ambush on security forces, murder, IED blasts, loot and arson. He is being interrogated by the security forces," he said. Acting on a tip-off that Mahto was hiding in the house, the security forces launched a search operation and nabbed him, the official said. The nabbed red rebel is wanted in over 240 criminal cases, including 100 in West Singhbhum and 50 in Giridih, he said, adding that several cases are pending against him in Chatra, Hazaribag, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Saraikela and Ramgarh districts as well. He is a resident of Pandeydih village in Pirtand police station area in Giridih district. PTI RPS RPS ACD